10 Startups Selected for MedTech World Startup Pitch Competition in Dubai

Ten startups will pitch live at the MedTech World Startup Pitch Competition on 13 February 2026 during MedTech World Middle East | Dubai 2026, organisers confirmed. Sponsored by Blue Goat Cyber and Ascend CRO, the competition will be staged at the Intercontinental Festival City Hotel in Dubai and brings founders face-to-face with a jury of seasoned investors in a single-round, rapid-fire format.

"The names have been selected, the countdown is on, and the pressure is real," the event announcement said. Organisers emphasised the stakes for founders: "No second chances. Just clarity, traction, and conviction."

Finalists and their propositions

• Michael Mrochen — Co-Founder & CEO, Allotex. A serial entrepreneur with more than three decades of experience building refractive surgery platforms from concept to global adoption.
• Thang Vo-Ta — CEO & Co-Founder, Calla Lily Clinical Care. An MIT- and Oxford-trained entrepreneur with a background in investment banking and private equity, recognised among the UK’s top industry leaders.
• Ken Mariash — CEO, Sinaptica. Developing a personalized closed-loop neuromodulation therapy for Alzheimer’s, backed by Phase 2 clinical data published in Brain.
• Dr. Siddharthan Rajagopal — Founder & CEO, SurgeOmniQ-X. A surgeon-innovator focused on AI-driven surgical precision with thousands of procedures and advanced robotic surgery experience.
• Arman Nadershahi — CEO, Endiatx. An entrepreneur with a multidisciplinary background in law, engineering and corporate leadership across companies that completed IPOs and acquisitions.
• Nicolás López de Aguileta Castaño — CTO, Opportunity Health. A specialist in regulatory and clinical affairs supporting patient safety and healthcare innovation.
• Iman Salafian — Co-Founder, President & CEO, Imagine Devices. A MedTech executive with over 15 years’ experience across FDA-aligned programmes, non-dilutive funding and revenue growth.
• Akash Pai — Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, ZERObrush. Building AI-driven personalised oral care with a background spanning major tech companies and consumer products.
• Luiza Dobre — Founder & CEO, Komed Health. A digital health and hospital operations leader whose care-orchestration platform is clinically proven in Europe and expanding into the GCC.
• Alessandro Pizzo — CEO, TT3A. Developing a first-in-class cardiovascular device with experience in early-stage venture capital and a family background in medical device distribution.

Competition format and prizes

Each finalist will deliver a rapid pitch followed by direct questioning from the jury. The winning startup receives a Startup Package for MedTech Malta 2026, dedicated media exposure and year-long PR coverage across MedTech World channels. In addition, Blue Goat Cyber will award a special prize of 10 hours of tailored consulting focused on cybersecurity and regulatory strategy, including guidance across FDA, EU MDR and Health Canada pathways.

Outlook

Organisers say the pitch competition is intended to connect early-stage teams with investors and partners at a decisive moment in their commercialisation journeys. The wider MedTech World Middle East | Dubai programme runs from 11 to 13 February 2026; founders, investors and industry delegates are invited to attend at the Intercontinental Festival City Hotel to observe the live pitches and follow-up investor engagement.